TransferWise Pitch Competition - applications now open!

Date added: 10.04.2017

Here we go again! Latitude59 pitching competition, this year led by TransferWise, has opened its application rounds. 20 handpicked startups will have a once in a lifetime chance to pitch their ideas to the jury consisting of international entrepreneurs and investors. If you´re still hesitating whether to take part in it or not, this post will give an overview of why you definitely shouldn’t miss this opportunity.

Even if you don´t win, you still win:

- You´ll get fame. All pitching startups will be introduced in our blog, and as previous years has showed, it´s a good platform for getting media attention and publicity

- It´s a great learning spot. You´ll be facing a very experienced jury – they might give you advice, but they´ll definitely ask questions. Questions that any investor would ask.

- Prizes are crazy. Even if you don´t happen to be the winning team, you still might get some real startup quality stuff as a reward for your effort (find the list of prizes below).

- Boot Camp for all selected entrepreneurs. Its organized by Startup Wise Guys in Tallinn on May 24 and it’s undoubted to be the favourite part of the pitching competition. Why?

Startup Wise Guys Boot Camp

There are 2 elements to a great pitch: form and content. The boot camp will be focusing on both. So not only startups will be trained on how to pitch on stage, but also will be challenged on their business model, sales strategies and product with the help of top class mentors and Startup Wise Guys team. Meet the miracle workers:

Ginny Bown (Amplify, UK). Actress by education, her focus is on storytelling in all its various aspects: posture, breathing, voice projection, catching interest and interacting with audience, making your story compelling and worth listening to. Ginny has coached at PWC, Techstars North, CyLon Accelerator and is the lead coach for Startup Wise Guys in Latvia.

Cristobal Alonso – global CEO at Startup Wise Guys and a man that truly understands challenges and pressures of both Corporate and Startup world. His unique background combines extensive CXO experience in different mobile operators in Europe together with CEO startup experience both in B2B and B2C environments.

M. Wallace Green, Entrepreneur in Residence at Startup Wise Guys. He is a creative strategist with a passion for executing business transformations that converge Customer Experience and Digital Service Innovation with Tech-Driven Disruption.

Prizes - what’s on stake?

Besides great mentors and coaches, there´s always the prizes. This year they´re the following:

Early stage prizes:

- €1000 credit for legal services from Nordic law firm Hedman Partners for the winning team

- Equity free €2000 for the winning team

- Early stage TOP10 teams:

- Pro100k Plan + starter package with Loader.io from Sendgrid

Growth stage prizes:

- Equity free €10 000 by TransferWise for the winning team

- € 2000 credit for legal services from Nordic law firm Hedman Partners for the winning team

- Financial aid for renting residential and office spaces for one year.

Deadlines and applying

After startups have submitted their applications, selection committee which includes industry experts, high level mentors and investors will select the final list of participants to go through the boot camp. Main criteria for evaluation are following the same route as Startup Wise Guys accelerator applications: team, market and product.

The jury will select up to 10 companies for Early Stage and 10 companies for Growth Stage competition. Selected entrepreneurs will be announced on May 3rd.

Early Stage pitches will take place May 25 afternoon, Growth Stage pitches May 26 afternoon.